Breaking Norms

1464 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Social norms within cultures

In Society, there are folkways, mores, and laws all governing a society, yet they all share one basic foundation. This foundation is seen universally and is nearly engrained in our minds. These are norms. Norms are the shared expectations of behavior that is for a specific culture. Norms are very similar to values, yet values are society’s expectations on how to live life rather than what is acceptable behavior in social environments. Morals come into discussion too with virtue, as morals are what is right or wrong, as defined by the culture. Every culture shares different norms. For example, Muslim women in Afghanistan must cover their faces when walking in public, yet in America we do not understand this as this is not one of our norms. Norms are generally created over many years for a culture and are hard to understand or relate to if we are not part of that culture. This leads us to culture shock when entering other cultures. If we were suddenly placed in another culture without any transition and did not understand their norms, we would encounter culture shock. However, on the opposite end of the spectrum comes folkways, mores, and laws. These come when we understand and have a familiar understanding of the culture. Folkways are traditional norms that govern our behavior, but do not have a moral factor. An example of a folkway would be to hold the elevator for a person. A mores is a deeply held informal norm and has a moral enforcement. An example of this would be to not touch strangers. The most formal norms would be laws, as they are what is expected legally of society and have repercussions. A taboo is similar to laws as a taboo is extremely strict norms and are looked down upon from the rest of society, y... ... middle of paper ... ...te the criticism she received, it was only a matter of time that the carefully selected outfit she wore for this performance would be a Halloween craze and ‘the tongue’ would be seen in pictures all over the internet. Personally, I feel that when norms are broken, a historic moment in that culture is then created. Works Cited "A Survey of LGBT Americans." Pew Social Demographic Trends RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. . "Study: Opposition to Same-sex Marriage May Be Understated in Public Opinion Polls." Pew Research Center RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. . Cheney, Paul. "Culture." Sociolgy. By Ron Hammond. Santa Clarita: College of the Canyons, 2012. N. pag. Print.

Show More
Related

  • Breaking A Folkway

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    Folkway can be described as community customs. Folkways can also refer to the standards of behavior that are socially accepted, however, not morally significant. They are considered the norms for everyday behavior that the community is expected to follow for the purpose of tradition and convenience. Norms on the other hand can be described as particular cultural expectations that govern the behavior of people in a society. Breaking a folkway is not a serious offence and does not lead to a sanction. Examples of folkways include cultural forms of food habits and dress.

    Read More

  • Culture Wars: The Struggle to Define America by James Davison Hunter

    1303 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fiorina, Morris P., Samuel J. Abrams, and Jeremy C. Pope. Culture war. New York: Pearson Longman, 2005. Hunter, James. A. James Davison.

    Read More

  • Social Norms in America

    1117 Words  | 3 Pages

    They hold us together as a culture, while separating us as unique individuals at the same time. Folkways, which are based more on custom and etiquette are the most broken of all norms. This can be explained because worst case scenario our only reprimand may be someone staring or talking about us. Mores, while a little more serious than folkways, still don’t have a very serious punishment, just maybe a little more than weird looks, double takes and bad mouthing. Mores are usually based on social morals, which can sometimes make people get a little uneasy, but not much more than that. Laws are the most serious or formal norms, with standard punishment respective to the type of law that is broken. The norm that I have chosen to discuss, in my opinion, hits a little bit of all three of these categories. I have chosen to analyze a television talk show and the guests they attract. Maury Povich, while previously known as one of the more serious talk shows with fairly reasonable guests and topics has become more of a “Jerry Springer” type of talk show. It is almost so vile that you just have to watch it kind of a show; at least that is my roommate’s excuse. Monday, March 14th, the show aired the topic “My Boyfriend Controls My Every Move.” Since Maury was straying from his almost everyday topic of “Who Is My Babies Daddy”, I decided to give it a gander. I was absolutely appalled at the things these couples were saying. There was one couple in particular that really had my undivided attention that had been married twenty some odd years. This woman was made to do everything her husband said, or she would be punished. Her duties included cleaning, cooking, shopping, grooming and washing her husban...

    Read More

  • Sociological Theories of Deviance

    773 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the world we live in today, deviance happens to play an integral role in within the societies that scatter our globe, whether we like it or not. Deviance describes actions or behaviors that violate the social norms of our society. These behaviors can violate formally enacted rules, such as laws that are put into place by government, as well as the informal type of “guidelines” that various cultures have informally established and shaped for themselves. As one may come to understand, norms are essentially expectations that are standard to a certain culture. These norms gently guide people in a society in “what to do,” and “what not to do,” in compliance with their societies' norms. With this said, it is important to keep in mind that social norms differ from culture to culture. One act that may be considered deviant in a particular society, may be generally accepted in another. Three main sociological theories of deviance include the cultural transmission theory (also known as the differential association theory), the labeling theory, and the control theory.

    Read More

  • Example Of Norm Violations

    1029 Words  | 3 Pages

    We as humans want to fit in with the people around us. It is hard for us to break norms, which is “the expectation of “right” behavior” (Henslin, 2011, p. 49). Violating a norm is going against then normal of the community we live in. The different violations that can be violated like for example folkways, “a norm that is not strictly enforced” (Henslin, 2011, p. 51). Where mores are, “norms that are strictly enforced because they are thought essential to core values or the wellbeing of the group” (Henslin, 2011, p. 51). It is because of our values, we determine the violation a positive or negative sanction. Values are “standards by which people define what is desirable or undesirable, good or bad, beautiful or ugly” (Henslin, 2011, p. 49). “Sanctions refer to the reactions people receive for following or breaking norms” (Henslin, 2011, p. 49).

    Read More

  • Norm Violation Essay

    1087 Words  | 3 Pages

    Society can be very diminishing and very hurtful. I say hurtful by the way many people criticize one another by the way we walk, talk, and act with others or even alone. As we grow older we fall into different categories such as community, religion, and the list goes on. In between all that there is certain norms and values to follow. There are certain types of norms and values we have to follow in our community to not get harassed. First, before I committed a norm violation and making an observation I had to be able to understand what values, norms, folkways, sanctions, and mores were. “Values are ideas of what is desirable in life. Values underlie our preferences, guide our choices, and indicate what we hold worthwhile in life” (Henslin,

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Marital Decline And Marital Resilience Perspective

    1055 Words  | 3 Pages

    There was a polling done in 2001 and American opposed same-sex marriage by 57% to 35%. Overtime same-sex message has become more accepted. Since then there has been a poll of 57% support same-sex marriage, compared with the 35% who oppose it. It has been above 50% consistently since then. Now more people support than oppose same-sex marriage and the reason on June 2015, same sex marriage has become legal. It was said that age has been and will continue to be a defining line on the issue of Attitude on same sex marriages based on gender. Younger generations express higher levels of support toward same marriage, usually including 40 years of age and under. Also, women are more likely to support than men.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Breaking Social Norms

    522 Words  | 2 Pages

    I chose to break a social norm by sitting/ laying on the floor of an aisle in a grocery store, engaging in deviant behavior, instead of shopping for groceries. Sitting on the floor of a grocery store is a case of deviant behavior because it goes against society by breaking the norm. Because the standard behavior of people in a grocery store is to walk and look around, with usually a basket or cart, shopping for desired items, the expected response of others would be feeling uncomfortable, awkward, and confused. Upon performing my act of social deviance, numerous people demonstrated the anticipated reaction. As people turned down the aisle, I occupied, conversations died down to whispers or stopped altogether. Of the people who questioned me on my

    Read More

  • Examples Of Violating Social Norms

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    I violated a social norm by refusing to “mirror” the nonverbal display of one of my best friends. Her name is Hailyn and we have been best friends since middle school. Because we go to the same church, I met her on Sunday and she told me that she needed to talk to me. She explained to me that she was asked out by a man that she has been dating for two weeks now. I already knew that she was dating this person and that she was interested in him. Yet, she was never in a committed relationship so she told me that she wants to go out on a few more dates with the person before deciding to actually go out with him. To violate the social norm, I responded to her without empathizing. I tried my best not to create any chameleon effect of any unconscious nodding or gasp. My responses were very simple and straight forward. When she told me that the man that she’s been dating, I literally told her, “good for you,” without any facial expressions. She seemed to be a bit disappointed by my reaction but she still went on and told me that she wants to date

    Read More

  • Norms Essay

    601 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is 9:00 PM on a Sunday night. Televisions all across America tune into MTV. Millions of viewers will now spend the next thirty minutes watching a television program titled 'Jackass'. While watching this program, the viewers will observe everything from people eating hard boiled eggs in an attempt to purposely vomit, to a man testing out various self defense devices on himself. Next week viewers will tune into the same program to see the same kinds of stunts performed. The reason that America watches these kinds of programs, and the participants in them perform these stunts, are because 'norms' are being broken. A norm is something that is generally accepted by a society as the right thing to do, or the way things are supposed to be. For example, a norm would be to enter an elevator and stand facing the front for the duration of the trip. Breaking that norm would be to enter the elevator and face the back for the duration of the trip. It is not what is expected. Different norms exist in different societies, and when these norms are broken within these societies people pay attention, because it is not an occurrence observed on a regular basis.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Breaking Social Norms

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    Social norms are the implicit or explicit rules a group has for the acceptable behaviors, values, and beliefs of its members. Implicit social norms are introduced to us at a very early age, and exert a powerful influence on our behavior into adulthood. Our culture is ruled by social norms. In many situations, people 's perception of these norms have a big influence on their behavior. Implicit social norms are not openly stated, but found out when disobeyed. Implicit rules are rules we conform to as a society, and generally these rules make living together more comfortable. Social norms are important because they define the nature of a group, clarify relationships among members, and express values. They are also important because they create cohesion within the society, and members of that society are very aware when such norms are violated. Social norms are often strictly enforced and offenders are often disliked for their conduct. Also, some norms are more strictly held to in certain situations than in

    Read More

  • Deviance In Society

    1275 Words  | 3 Pages

    From a young age, children in are taught to behave in a way that satisfies their society's standards of behavior. Each society has its own standards of behavior, also known as norms. One set of norms may be similar to those of another society, or one society's own set of norms can be the complete opposite of those of another society. But no matter how different or similar, norms are a part a society's core for they are the guidelines to how members are expected to act, and draws a line between what is acceptable and unacceptable. Despite efforts to enforce norms through social control, there are many people who deviate from these norms. Deviance is behavior that violates the standards of a group or society (Witt, 2013, p. 135). The act of deviance comes in many forms that range from harmless acts like a girl shaving her head, or it might be an action that is more extreme like committing murder.

    Read More

  • Folkways Effect On Society

    458 Words  | 1 Pages

    In society, there are rules- written and nonwritten- that define how Americans live and interact with each other. Mores and folkways are what we call these rules. According to William Graham Sumner, a sociologist, a more is a rule or law that a person is punished for socially and/or criminally. (Boundless 2016) For example, lying, and stealing. A folkway is a norm that does not really have a punishment. Such as, holding a hand out and greeting people on the street.

    Read More

  • Observing People's Behavior at a Fitness Center

    1156 Words  | 3 Pages

    Lets start by understanding that cultures are a melting pot of people’s beliefs, language, behaviors, values, material objects, and norms. Norms are written and non-written “expectations of behavior” that govern a certain location, place, or culture (26). These norms also vary from culture to culture meaning what is a norm in the U.S may not be a norm in India. For example, a norm in America would be tipping a waiter after a meal. Another would be acknowledging someone as you walk past him or her, typically done at work or in a public place. In all, norms are folkways, mores, taboos, and written laws that are an established standard of one’s behavior.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Moral Codes

    1945 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Different cultures have different moral codes”, James Rachels discusses in his article Why Morality Is Not Relative? (Rachels, p. 160). A moral code is a set of rules that is considered to be the right behavior that may be accepted by a group of individuals within a society. Each culture tends to have their own individual standards and moral codes. Moral codes are guidelines laid out by a cultures ancestors. Standards are guidelines set forth by the individual themselves. Standards and morals don’t always have to be the same, but there are instances where they are. The moral codes claim what is “right” and what is “wrong”. Moral codes outline what behaviors individuals are supposed to make. These codes are basically laws, but specifically

    Read More

More about Breaking Norms

Open Document